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Get Involved:  Stories of people who got involved!


 

Left to right: 
Katie Walkley,
Mallory O'Malley,
Melissa Gaul,
Manute Bol,
Ron Scrogham,
Meredith O'Malley,
Stephanie Mueller

St. Pius X High School, Kansas City, MO

The St. Pius X High School “Letters of Compassion” group in Kansas City, MO, with the support of their faculty advisor, Mr. Ron Scrogham, and the entire St. Pius X High School community, has raised over $8,000 in just seven months (as of 4-23-09) for The Manute Bol Turalei School.  The group works to spread awareness regarding social injustice.  Their numerous fundraisers, including “Jeans Day”, candy and coffee sales and a Spring Bazaar and Craft Sale, among other events, are a true testament to the hard work of the LOC students
and the St. Pius X High School community and their desire to truly help the children in South Sudan. 

“Because we believe that education is the key to a prosperous and peaceful future, this is the most meaningful gift that we can possibly help give to the children in the village of Turalei”, states Meredith O’Malley, Co-President. 
 

  St. Pius X High School Manute Bol School Project

Nancy Torchio-Zembko, Windsor, CT

In May, 2008, Nancy Torchio-Zembko, the Outreach chairperson at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in South Windsor, CT, attended a reception to hear Francis Bok speak.  Francis told of his plans to build a school in Gor Ayen and of the need for a clean water source for the village. 

Nancy felt led to help drill a well in Francis’ village, and St. Peter’s decided to help.  She researched and contacted 30 organizations that drill wells in Sudan.  During her web research she learned about an organization called PACT Sudan, drilling wells in South Sudan with a grant for boreholes from USAID.  After several emails to PACT and USAID, PACT told Nancy they would drill a well in Gor Ayen.  With PACT Sudan providing the water well, over $10,000 that had been raised for the well was made available towards school construction.

Manute Bol stands with Billy Grant,
owner and chef of Grant's Restaurant,
and his son

Grant's Restaurant, West Hartford, CT

Grant’s Restaurant in West Hartford, CT got involved helping Manute Bol build a school in his home village of Turalei, South Sudan.  The restaurant hosted an open house for people to come by and meet Manute, and learn about his school.  For each $50 donation to the school project, the restaurant provided a $20 coupon good for drinks or food at Grant’s or Bricco’s restaurants.  This was only one of several fundraising events Manute was able
to attend in conjunction with others in the area.

Nancy Williams, Eugene, OR 

Nancy Williams and friends from Eugene, OR got involved when the Great Oregon Fall Beach Clean Up was held.  Nancy organized a group of children to combine their beach clean-up efforts with raising funds for the Francis Bok Gor Ayen School.  They asked friends and family to sponsor them to clean up the beach and raised over $200 for the school.

Really getting involved!

Nancy didn't stop with the fund-raising event;  she went to Sudan where she taught 20 volunteer instructors how to teach English as a second language in Manute's home village of Turalei.  She also delivered school supplies.  Nancy functions as the Sudan Sunrise Northwest Representative and is now working with the Darfur Students Association as well as the Manute Bol School.

Westridge Middle School, Overland Park, KS

The SEEK students at Westridge Middle School, Overland Park, KS, were part of a Future Cities competition, but due to a scoring error, the team did not advance to state competition. To help make up for the error, the state Future Cities organization offered to donate $700 for the students to use as they saw fit. With their thoughts turning to those in need in South Sudan, the students donated the money to the Manute Bol Turalei School.

Joe DiCostanzo (in the bright blue shirt) accepted the donation on behalf of Manute and Sudan Sunrise. (April 2009).

Sherry and Glenn Darrow,  Leawood,
                                  KS

When Manute Bol visited their area,
Glenn & Sherry Darrow got involved by hosting a get together at their home and inviting media, friends and others to
meet Manute and hear about his school project. One reporter attended, and
when the story ran the next day, Manute received a $1,000 donation in the mail!

Also in attendance was a representative from St. Pius X High School. The high
school decided to get involved and as
of April 2009 have raised $9,000 for
Manute’s Turalei school, and are still
going!

Jenny Swihart, RN , Lenexa, KS

In November 2007, Kansas nurse Jenny Swihart traveled with a mission team to the Boma area in southeast Sudan. Jenny heard Sudan Sunrise speakers at her church, Old Mission United Methodist Church in Fairway, KS, and was inspired to make the trip to South Sudan to deliver medical supplies and work alongside medical workers in the Boma health clinic.

Jenny spent several days working in the clinic, and lent her medical expertise to help both patients and doctors at the clinic.

Turalei Teachers

When Manute Bol said the teachers in his home village of Turalei asked for help in teaching English as a second language, a team of volunteer teachers came together and traveled to Turalei in June 2009.  Read the Teaching Team Report.

A teaching plan was developed by Angela DiCostanzo, who has a Master’s in Education with an emphasis in Teaching English as a Second Language, and five years of ESL teaching experience. Her previous experience as a relief worker in South Sudan inspired her to become a teacher.

Joe DiCostanzo, a retired Assistant Dean of Math,  Nancy Williams, Sudan Sunrise Field Liaison, and Mayom Majok from Sudan completed the team.

Jason Skalski and his fiancée, Samantha, East Aurora, New York